Earlier today, I went out, like thousands of my APC comrades, to cast my vote during our Ward Elections.
From my personal observations and reports from my teams across the country, there was a large turnout of party members, determined and enthusiastic in exercising their civic duties. It was heartening to see that our people were ready to cast their votes, and more importantly, very committed to defending them. That spirit of participation speaks volumes about the strength and vitality of our party.
Yes, there were hitches and disagreements in some places. We must not shy away from acknowledging them. These challenges, however, were neither unexpected nor unique to the APC. We must also remember the tremendous legal, logistical, and administrative pressures under which these polls have been conducted. Despite these constraints, the fact that the APC has defied all odds to commence this process is commendable.
Our new Constitution and the organs it established have faced a real test, and they have shown commitment and capacity to function under great pressure. What we all did today was reassuring of our collective effort to strengthen internal democratic governance in our great party. That, in itself, is a meaningful achievement.
I sincerely thank all party officials, officers, polling staff, volunteers, security personnel, and, most importantly, the dedicated APC members across the country for their resilience and participation. Your commitment is the foundation of our progress. I am confident that the appropriate steps will be taken to hold elections at stations that were cancelled. This should be guided by the party’s election rules.
As we progress, I urge restraint. I discourage anger and hostility that could cast the APC in a negative light before the public and observers. Internal competition must never turn into self-destruction.
I am confident that we, including my colleague flagbearers, will learn from these early missteps and build on the many gains achieved.
Dr. Ibrahim Bangura,
Flagbearer Aspirant – All People’s Congress (APC).
